Civil Rights Movement Free Essays

CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT The civil rights movement in America had a wide variety of successes over time. As successful as they were, all went through their share of hardships and struggles. Major desegregation acts in history include Brown vs, Board of Education, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Civil Rights Act of 1957. We will write a custom essay sample on Civil Rights Movement or any similar topic only for you Order Now These events changed life for African Americans to come. In the early 1950’s, racial segregation in public schools was the norm across America. Although all the schools in a given district were supposed to be equal, most black schools were inferior to their white counterparts. Brown vs. Board of Education was a decision of the US Supreme Court in 1954 that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students was unconstitutional. It was a giant step towards complete desegregation of public schools. However, even partial desegregation of these schools, was still very far away. Started by the arrest of Rosa Parks on 1 December 1955, the Montgomery bus boycott was a 13-month protest that ended with the U. S. Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses is unconstitutional. At one point in time, 90 percent of African American bus riders were choosing to walk. The bus boycott demonstrated nonviolent protest to successfully challenge racial segregation and was an example for other campaigns that followed. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , being the president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, spoke to many about the Montgomery Bus Boycott, commonly expressing that, ‘‘I want it to be known that we’re going to work with grim and bold determination to gain justice on the buses in this city†. The bus boycott was followed by a similar judgment concerning interstate buses. However, states in the Deep South continued their own policy of transport segregation. The 1964 Civil Rights Act made racial discrimination in public places, such as theaters, restaurants and hotels, illegal. It also required employers to give equal employment opportunities. The Civil Rights Act also attempted to deal with the problem of African Americans being denied the vote in the Deep South. The legislation stated it must prevail for establishing the right to vote. Schooling to sixth grade constituted legal proof of literacy and the attorney general was given power to give legal action in any area that they found resistance to the law. These three things impacted American history and all strengthened a complete integration that many during this time were moving toward. Without these, who knows where the U. S. would be at, in terms of racial issues, today? How to cite Civil Rights Movement, Papers Civil Rights Movement Free Essays During the 1960s it was the start of the civil rights movement. It’s quite a significant period in American history for equality since the Civil war. African American has had enough of the unjust way they’ve been treated. We will write a custom essay sample on Civil Rights Movement or any similar topic only for you Order Now This was about the fight to attain something more than just changing the law but also come together as a nation to continue the fight for freedom and solve these social issues that were oppressing people of color. In order for this to happen, African Americans must of have taken actions that would greatly affect the system that they were forced to live. This was a time where uniting in their community was essential to the cause of the civil rights movement. Overcoming all these challenges was difficult as they were met with many oppositionists that were peaceful and non-peaceful. Many different leaders had a different philosophy on how to resolve their issues. Ultimately, they all had the same goal which was to find freedom and equality for their people. The civil rights movement was about battling against the racial injustices in America and getting equality to all people, while at the same time offering solutions to resolve all these issues in America. In the civil rights movement, African American were faced with dangers and obstacles in this fight. With all the rallies, marches that were organized, or just simply living their life, came a lot of unwelcome physical violence. One prime example of this is the peaceful marches people came and were then beaten by the police. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. directly explains, â€Å"when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters† (p.28-29).Most of the time it was no fault of the protester, but it was because of the racism and hate police had people of color. Another, yet similar, example of violence, experienced by Anne Moody. This was a protest in the death of Medgar. Anne, as well as other protesters, were arrested and put into a paddy wagon or garbage trucks and left in the fields. â€Å"The driver rolled up the windows,† describes civil rights activist Anne Moody, â€Å"turned the heater on, got out, closed the door and left us† (p.49). The protesters were not treated with any respect but instead treated like animals. Police brutality was a reality that was expected to be confronted with at rallies. However, they had to show no signs no signs of counter-attack and peaceful throughout the protest. It was part of King’s non-violent approach during the civil rights movement. The oppression and discrimination of sorts was a battle that people of color faced during the 1960s. All of this was part of an everyday life for African Americans. However, there was some type discrimination within them. This was the role that women were allowed to be part of in the marches. Civil rights activist Rosa Parks states, â€Å"women were not allowed to play much of a role. The marching committee didn’t want Coretta Scott King and the other wives of the male leaders to march with their husbands† (p.44). This was the separation of women and men for no reason. It shows the inequality that was present during the 1960s but also a bit ironic since the whole point of the march was the fight for equal rights. It’s also a representation of how much more work is needed to make this world equal for everyone. Moreover, the discrimination against color people was quite vibrant in all aspects of the ways African Americans lived. African Americans were hit with a lot of discriminatory signs in public accommodations that were extremely racially offensive. When there seemed to have been some type of change with that, it only lasted for a while and went back to the same old thing. â€Å"We realize that we were the victims of a broken promise. A few signs, briefly removed, returned; the others remained,† expresses activist Martin Luther King, Jr. (p.26). Just because of their skin color they were met with racist signs. As I said before it’s not just a legal change that was occurring but also a social one that needed a change. It was important to have a change in opinion by this country’s society. It was also about combating the racism black people faced on a daily basis throughout their day. Anne Moody was a victim of what black people faced and hoped to change. Anne Moody was physically abused because of the color of her skin, â€Å"then the mob started to smear her and others with ketchup, mustard, sugar, pies, and everything in the counter† (p.45). This was just for sitting at the counter in a restaurant. In the midst of all this chaos, African Americans took action to combat all the racism they were facing and unjust laws that in order to get to a solution. There were many strategies that civil rights activist proposed and practiced that were put on the table in order to find solutions. One of these influencers proposed to have a unification of all black people. â€Å"Keep our religion between ourselves and our God, but when coming out here, we have a fight that is common to all of us against an enemy who is common to all of us,† expresses Muslim and civil rights leader Malcolm X (p.72-73). This a time where everyone must put their beliefs and differences aside in order to progress. At the end of the day, they all have the same goal and the same foe to fight against. This is a call to action where they must gain control of their own fate but in order for that to happen, they must invest in their own self. One of Malcolm’s main objectives to combat the oppressive system black people were living in was different to King’s method. King’s method was a non-violent one and have all people, no matter the color, come together to erase the racism between people. Malcolm was more having only black people come together as a community to help one another in order to progress. Muslim speaker states, â€Å"The community in which you spend your money becomes richer and richer. The community out of which you take your money becomes poorer and poorer† (p.74). Malcolm wants black people to stop spending their money in communities they are not part of. He insists that it by spending money in your own community, it becomes richer and in then being able to prosper. This was just one of the few things that he proposes to during this time period. The 1960s was another major time period for African Americans to fight for equal rights in this country. This time period is a big turning point for all people of color. It signifies that by uniting everyone for a cause, situations can be changed for the better no matter how difficult the obstacle. It was the fight to change the social, political, cultural, and laws that cast a shadow on the people of color by discriminating them. The civil rights movement gave birth to different many leaders on how to solve this issues that were happening at that time. With many people taking action and finding solutions, also came a lot of misfortunes that brought many difficulties in the fight for equality. Many discrimination acts were against African American that they had the courage to unite for a better tomorrow. It was all about getting equality for every single person. Although today our world is not completely equal as we want it to be, there is no doubt that we have made some remarkable advancements in our society. Looking back at the history of the civil rights movement there’s for sure something that we learn from and use today to solve our current issues. How to cite Civil Rights Movement, Papers Civil Rights Movement Free Essays The success achieved following the years of the Second World War only determined the Civil Rights activists to continue their fight for equal treatment. The important Supreme Court ruling of Brown v The Board of Education outlawed the segregated state sponsored school system, which had promoted legal segregation of elementary schools. However there was much need for a proper implementation of this decision and for further legal action. We will write a custom essay sample on Civil Rights Movement or any similar topic only for you Order Now The murder of Emmet Till and the subsequent acquittal of his white killers represented a lost opportunity for the justice system to lay its impartial role. From there on, the goals, the leaders and the tactics of the Civil Rights movement changed from legal to direct actions. This evolution was partly due to the fact that there were continuous attempts to interfere with legal actions that the NAACP was undergoing in achieving equality for the Black community. Thus the main goal became now the determined fight against segregation with clear targets such as desegregation of Albany or Birmingham. (Jenkins 1997). The means however, although they was less legal action involved, remained non-violent, and often took the form of boycotts, freedom rides. One such example was the Montgomery Bus Boycott against the segregated transportation system in Alabama, which resulted in the end in a Supreme Court ruling against the State of Alabama. The tactics involved activities at the local level, which were now conducted by Church members, thus the community became much more implicated. Among these, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who would later become one of the leading figures of the Civil Rights Movement. Also, sit-ins were organized by students in order to encourage the desegregation in schools. The efforts culminated with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (African American Odyssey 2002). However, slowly, the cooperation between the black civil rights militants and the whites became an obstacle for those who believed in more radical moves. Thus leaders such as Stokely Carmichael began advocating a new concept, that of â€Å"black power† which demanded freedom from white authority both economically and political. Its means of representation sought more an improvement of the black communities rather than their integration in the white reality. Thus, it encouraged self consciousness and self reliance, along with the creation of a strong cultural conscience. The role of the black women is rather important as they too strived for recognition of their rights. However, the emancipation movement that had galvanized the black community was doubled by the feminist movement which in its turn demanded for equal rights for men and women. (Williams n. d. ). Nonetheless, from a wider perspective, black women represented an indispensable element for the complete emancipation of the black community in offering both practical and moral support. One such personality was Gospel Singer Mahalia Jackson who had joined the Civil Rights Movement at the request of Dr. King and who represented an important figure for the black cultural emerging identity. (African American Odyssey 2002). Bibliography African American Odyssey. (2002). Sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and Demonstrations. Retrieved 9 May 2006 from Library of Congress Web site: http://memory. loc. gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart9b. html Jenkins, P. (1997). A history of the United States. New York: Palgrave. Williams, M. (n. d). Black Women and the Struggle for Liberation. [Electronic version]. Third World Women’s Alliance. Black Women’s Manifesto. NY: Third World Women’s Alliance. How to cite Civil Rights Movement, Papers